I believe that when employees have a stake in the company, they drive more solid growth. Empowering our team through an ESOP was crucial, but managing its complexities as we grow could have been a hurdle. SeedBlink's platform ensures our ESOP remains streamlined and transparent, allowing us to focus on what matters - our people and our future.‍

Bogdan Nicoară, Founder & CEO, Bright Spaces

Context and issue

Anticipating future ESOP complexities and challenges

Bright Spaces was committed to implementing an Employee Stock Option Plan. The executive team, led by their founder and CEO, along with the People & Culture Manager and the Financial and Legal team, strongly believed that granting stock options to employees and collaborators would propel the company forward in an accelerated and sustainable manner.

The challenge

For Bright Spaces, the biggest challenges of managing an ESOP lie ahead. As new colleagues join the program​ later in the company's development​, as employees leave - vested or not - and as the company undergoes updated valuations, the complexity of the program will only grow.  

Bright Spaces was reluctant to rely​ only ​on a spreadsheet​ ​to handle this key initiative. They understood that without a proper ESOP tool, overseeing and tracking the entire process would become cumbersome.

Solution: SeedBlink Equity

Employee Stock Options Plan Management

Bright Spaces selected SeedBlink to manage their ​​Stock Option Plan for employees and advisors. For such a strategic and sensitive program, they wanted to rely on a solution that provides accurate calculations and proper tracking of updates and document management.

“While we were enthusiastic about launching an ESOP to incentivize and engage our team, we were also apprehensive about managing its growing complexity as we scale. SeedBlink's platform provides the structure and automation we need to ensure we track updates and manage documents efficiently. This not only simplifies administration for HR, Finance and Legal but also empowers employees with clear visibility into their options through the dedicated employee portal. SeedBlink gives us the confidence to scale our ESOP alongside our growing team.”

Ioana Gheorghe, People & Culture Manager @Bright Spaces

Outcome

The benefits that Bright Spaces is seeing from using the SeedBlink Equity ESOP management module are twofold:

• The HR and Finance departments responsible for administering the Bright Spaces ESOP have solid assurance that the program is administered correctly, with exact calculations and proper tracking of updates and people movements. Having a repository for all signed documents is an additional benefit.

• The Bright Spaces people, the ESOP holders, enjoy an increased visibility into the program. The SeedBlink platform adds clarity and helps increase the ​understanding​​ ​of ESOP.

“Visibility and clarity are crucial for ESOP programs. As administrators, we need a comprehensive overview of the entire process, including new hires, departures, and vesting. At the same time, SeedBlink offers a platform where every employee can view their ESOP more graphically, bringing the program closer to reality for everyone involved.”

Ioana Gheorghe, People & Culture Manager @Bright Spaces

Services and capabilities included

Operational efficiency and scalability help ESOP admins simplify setup and day-to-day program management:

• Complete flexibility in program design.

• Accurate calculations; automated updates on all aspects of stock option grants and vesting schedules.

• Contract and e-signature management. Centralized documentation.

Transparency and visibility help gain the trust of key team members by providing clear insight into their equity compensation:

• Dedicated, personalized employee portal ensures transparency and confidentiality.

• People have visibility into KPIs and what their options are worth over time.

• Accessible 24/7, privacy compliant and secure.

Build a culture of ownership and shared mission with an Employee Stock Options Plan that is straightforward to manage, update, and understand. Start your own ESOP with SeedBlink today.